Abortion

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Medication/Chemical Abortion

The Abortion Pill

• Ru-486 starves the new life of nutrients by blocking progesterone. (This method becomes less effective the further
  along you are and may require additional surgical procedure to complete the abortion.)
• After 48 hours, take Misoprostol which allows your body to expel the new life.
• After 1-2 weeks, a doctor will ensure all new life was expelled.

Vacuum Aspiration

• Cervix is dilated with metal rods or laminaria.
• Suction catheter or vacuum aspirator is used to remove the new life tissue.

Dilation & Curettage (D&C)

• Cervix is dilated with metal rods or laminaria.
• A curettage is used to scrape the uterus wall remove the new life tissue.

Have you taken the abortion pill in the last 48 hours but now you’ve changed your mind? Call 877-558-0333

Surgical Abortion (After 14 weeks)

Dilation & Curettage (D&C)

• Cervix is dilated 1-2 days before abortion using metal rods or luminaria. (The cervix must be opened wider because
  of the size of the growing new life.)
• Forceps used to remove the new life part by part and an ultrasound guides the instruments.
• A curettage is used to scrape the uterus.

Intact D&E (Intact Dilation and Evacuation or Partial-Birth Abortion)—After 20 weeks

• Digoxin and potassium chloride are injected into the amniotic fluid, the fetal umbilical cord, or into the fetal heart in
  order to cause death to the new life.
• Cervix is dilated enough to remove the new life feet first. (Often, the new life skull is too large to pass through the
  cervix. A sharp instrument is used to make an incision at the base of the skull to provide access to the brain. Brain tissue is
  then suctioned out, collapsing the skull. After this, the intact new life can be removed.)

*Choices offers medically accurate information about pregnancy options. We do not perform or refer to abortion providers.
This information should never substitute professional medical advice between you and your doctor.

Abortion Risks

Physical Risks – The more times a surgeon passes through the cervix with a surgical instrument, the more potential for complications.

• excessive bleeding
• infection
• tear of uterus or cervix
• incomplete abortion
• complications with future pregnancies

Emotional Risks – At first, you may feel relief because your crisis pregnancy is over. But many women will also experience
depression, irritability or exhaustion, frequent crying, guilt, anger, nightmares, thoughts of suicide, and more. These emotions
can follow immediately after an abortion or many years later.

*Choices is here to offer support to all women after their abortions and walk with them no matter what. Please call us if
you are experiencing any of these symptoms.